The Green Wallpaper
by Chibi-Shibi
Summary: A short story of spiralling into madness. Based on "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Gilman.


This is what I'm supposed to do. This is the life I was brought up for.

I have a home now, and a family to take care of. Mother always reminded us of how lucky we are. We have had everything as children, and because we were to be married into Pureblood families, we would continue to have everything once we settled in, into our new homes.

She was right, of course. Mother always is. Malfoy manor is absolutely beautiful. Somedays I can hardly believe that I am married and this is my home now. Lucius, of course has been gracious enough to help me through those days.

He takes me around the manor, and points out parts that I could make my very own. I will not let him down. I will be a good wife, and a part of that, is to ensure my home is well and beautifully furnished.

Lucius wants me to be the perfect wife and I love him for it. He has given me a room for my very own. It is where I must be when he is not around. Only he has the key, and the elves have the password, should I need food or anything else. I am not sure what I love most about this room, but I think it must be the wallpaper. It is a Slytherin green, with hundreds of serpents coiling across the expanse. I was mesmerized by them when I first saw it, I remember. They reminded me of Medusa, the beautiful but dangerous. These days, I have taken to reading little tidbits and sewing tapestries representing the pride of the Malfoy name, with my time in here. But you know all of this already, silly me!

Locked away? I would hardly call it that. I have the freedom to ask for anything I need! Lucius would never do that to me, no, never. He loves me dearly. I always have plenty to do in here, besides. If nothing occupies me, I return to staring at the wallpaper. I have quite fallen in love with it, and I could spend hours tracing the path of each snake as it seems to slither across the walls, as you could well see.

When Lucius is home, he takes me around the house. At night, to his-our, bedroom, where unspeakable things happen. I would never tell you more! A lady does not kiss and tell. Ah! He is here now, as we speak! I leave you, my darling.

* * *

I have failed him. How could I have done this? I have failed him and my family, but not importantly, myself. I have lost our child. I have mourned for the babe already, but Lucius tells me now I must mourned for my dignity.

A crueler man would have punished me for my misdeeds. How do I know this? Oh, Lucius himself says so. But he is not cruel, no, he could never be. He loves me too much, he says. Too much for my good and his own. So instead, I am to rest, after my ordeal. He has ordered none to disturb me, not even himself, save the elves, who bring me food. I admire my husband so. This distance must be as painful for him as it is for me, but he endures it for my sake.

It is quite dark in here at night, is it not? There are not enough candelabra in this section of the house, though the elves do their best. I wonder if it also because of the walls, darkened and ominous. I am not complaining, no! I do find them beautiful, as with my husband's taste in most things. It is simply so, that I feel the light being consumed by the shadows in the corners, in the darkest hours of the night.

I am not insane, no. But perhaps it is merely a delirious and sick woman's nightmare. Don't mind my ramblings. Even Lucius doesn't, when he visits me. He simply put his hand on my forehead, and gently pours out a few drops of the elixir the Healer says I need, down my throat. I hope it begins to work soon, for I have not been feeling stronger, despite it.

I must grow stronger, healthier for him, if I am to bear him another child, and carry it to term. I need to rebuild my family's name from the rubble of my mistak- there! Did you see it? The snake, that serpent over there just uncoiled from its neighbours!

Of course I am certain! I am not so foolish as to imagine something so wild. But-

No, no, please, do not call my husband. I will be quiet, I swear. I cannot bear to disappoint him in any way, least of all, with you being witness to my supposed madness. Stay, and I will be good! I will be good. I will be good.

* * *

How long has it been? I don't know. I am not certain I want to. I have only gotten weaker and weaker of late. I think I know why. It's the paper, that godforsaken emerald green paper. It is sucking the life out of me. The serpents, they are slowly poisoning the air, poisoning me. They are scared of me, for I have seen their secrets. They know I have watched them cool and uncoil, hiss and writhe, slither and slide. They wish me dead!

I have told Lucius myself. Your threats are now empty, for he knows already, of the snakes that haunt me and this room. He is disbelieving now, but he will know I was not lying, when he sees it. Ah, I know it, I know that the snakes are clever, that they will not be up to their antics when I am with my husband. But they can only hide for so long, until they begin to twitch, itching to move and be their true, bewitched selves. And I will have them, when they do. I will prove to Lucius that I am not insane! That I would never lie to him, never look for an excuse to slow my healing, never wish to be apart from him for longer than necessary.

Why? Why do I wish to reveal all to him? Because I love him. And I am scared, my darling. I am scared of being alone. No! Please! Do not leave! I will not be able to bear it. If you leave, you may never see the living form of Narcissa Malfoy again, on your return. I cannot be alone, for they are stronger in my loneliness. They revel in my solitude. They play tricks on me, and I am terrified that they may not be tricks at all, but reality.

Look at them now! Can you not see them plotting in their venomous little minds, and staring with their beady eyes at me, wishing my death? They're moving, look! They're raising their heads out of the walls, and crawling closer! They're like Medusa's weapons, rising from her, and ending where they wish, fulfilling her dirty deeds for her. They're coming for me, now, at her command.

You will help me, won't you? Please! Say you'll help me. Why do you sit silent, as they slither closer? I cannot move; I am too weak, but you are not! You must help me, stop them! Please, hold them back!

Why are you smiling? Is this...is this _your_ doing? Are _you_ their Medusa? Are you the woman they follow? Do you wish for me to die?

No! They coil over me so! I can barely breathe! My skin, they rip it apart with their poison! There must be hundreds-no, thousands, that you have set upon me! Please, I beg of you, stop them, stop this! I...I can't see! No! My... sight! I can't bre...ath. I need...air...plea…

* * *

I see. I see how it is. You are not their Medusa, no. _I _am_._


End file.
